Churn.



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

,HIVIEL I). A. SPRAGUE.

GHURN.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 4, 1904.

Winn/E5655. Mfl-Q W NITED STATES Patented March '7, 1905.

DANIEL A. SPRAt-iUl l, OF POLAND, NEW YORK.

GWUFRN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,078, dated March 7, 1905.

Application filed August 4, 1904. Serial No. 219,561.

To (ti/Z witmn/ if puny concern/.-

,Be it known that l', DANIEL A. SrnAe'Un, of Poland, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Butter Working Churns; and 1. do hereby declare that the following isafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the ac companying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a combination churn and butter-worker which is simple in construction and effective in operation and free from objections common to such machines.

In the drawings, Figure '1 shows a perspective view of a churn and butter-worker embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 shows a partial longitudinal section on a somewhat enlarged scale. Fig. 3 shows a crosssection, on an enlarged scale, of the journal, its bearing, and other mechanism. Fig. 4 shows an end View of the churn-body or receptacle with section broken out to exhibit the position of the worker and with the operating mechanism in theposition which it occupies when the worker isin what may be termed the closed position. Fig. 5 shows a similar end view with the churn revolved to such position that the worker is in what may be termed the open position and the operating mechanism in its relatively changed position from that shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the reference letters and ligures in a more particular description, 1 indicates the churn-body or receptacle, which is mounted by means of the spider-frames 2 on either end and the journals 3 in the bearings 4, supported on the standards 5. It may be noted that in the construction of churn shown a similar mechanism is provided at each end. Within the churn or receptacle there is provided a worker 6, mounted to rocking journals 7, passing through the ends of the re ceptaele and provided on their outer ends with arms 8. The worker journals 7 of course have a bearing in the end walls of the receptacle and are provided with tightjoiiits as against liquids contained in the receptacle. The outer end of the arm 8 is connected by a connecting-rod 9 with the crank 10, provided on the crank-shaft 11, extending through an axial opening in the journal-sleeve 3 and also extending through an extension of the bearing-box 4. The crank-shaft 11 is provided with a longitudinal key-seat which receives the sliding key 12. having a reduced stem part 12 extending out at the end of the shaft and attached to the operating-lever 13:5 by a swivel-joint 14-, arranged on the axial line of the shaft IL. The 'iournal-sleeve 3 is provided on its inner face with a key-seat adapted also to receive the bit of the key 19., and the reduced portion 4501 the bearing 4t, which receives thatportion of the crank-shaft l l. which extends beyond the end of the sleeve 3, is also provided with a key-seat 15, also adapted to receive the bit of the key 12 when the key is shifted to its outer position. The key-shifting lever 13 is hinged at 16 to a support from the frame and is connected with a similar keyshifting lever on the opposite end of the machine by means of the reciprocating connecting-bars 17 and 18 and the rocking lever .19, pivoted at 20 on the connecting frame-bar 21,

- extending between the standards at the ends of the machine. The standards 5, with the connecting-bar 9.1, constitute the frame upon which the churn is mounted.

The churn-body or receptacle 1 is square in cross-section and may be made of any length to secure thedesired capacity and in the construction shown is provided with two openings A in the top to afford access to the interior, which openings when the churn is in operation are adapted to be closed by covers, as l The worker 6 is adapted to work against or in opposition to the side of the churn-bod y or receptacle which is opposite the side containing the opening A and which may be termed the bottom. The churn driven in the larger size more particularly by a band-wheel \V, surrounding the body of the churn and formed by laggings, so as to convert the square form into a circular pulley.

The worker 6 consists of a back or su porting piece (5. with lingers or teeth 6" arranged at intervals along the back and extending transversely to the general axis of the churnbody.

In operation the churn-body or receptacle 1 is filled about half full of cream through one or both of the openings A when the covers are removed and while the churn is in stationary position, preferably with the openings A in about the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. hen filled, the covers are placed in position and secured. In their churning operation it is preferable that the worker 6 be held stationary with reference to the churn-body. This is accomplished by shifting the key 12 to its position toward the right and as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This serves to couple the journal-sleeve 3 and the crank-shaft 11 together, so that they will revolve together as the churn is revolved on the journal by means of a belt applied on the pulley V, as the construction is shown. During the churning operation the worker will stand in the relative position to the body of the churn shown in Fig. 5 while the churn is revolved on the journal. The churn should be driven only in one direction namely, as shown by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5although during the churning operation this is not material. During the churning operation the worker 6 will operate as an agitator or dasher and serve to facilitate or hasten the churning operation. \Nhen the butter has come, the churn will be stopped and the buttermilk drawn off through the tap-openings a a, leaving the butter in the churn. It may then be washed and salted and left to cool with ice introduced in the churn, if desired. WVhen it is desired to work the butter, the tap-openings a a are closed, and when the churn is in proper position to permit it to be done, which is preferably that with the top in perfectly level or horizontal position, the key 12 is shifted to the opposite position from that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. established by the key between the crankshaft 11 and the journal-sleeve 3 is broken, and the crank-shaft 11 is connected or coupled to the outer end of the bearing-box 4, so that the crank-shaft, with the crank 10, cannot turn or revolve with reference to the churnbody. The churn is then put in motion in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5. The churn is allowed to revolve with reference to the crank 10 by reason of the spider 2 providing a space which is occupied by the crank and which will bring no moving parts in contact with the crank as the churn is revolved. As the churn revolves from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 it gathers the butter in a mass between the worker and the bottom of the receptacle and as the churn gradually turns over the worker is moved toward the bottom, so that when the position shown in Fig. 4 is attained the worker has forcibly compressed In so doing the connection churn will be stopped.

the mass of butter and forced it more or less through the tines or fingers of the worker. Immediately following the position shown in Fig. 4 the worker moves promptly and rapidly to its open position, so that the workerfingers occupy a substantially vertical position. The butter which may be passed through between the fingers of the worker, as well as any which may have not passed through the fingers of the worker, drops into the lower side of the churn and forms a loose mass. As the worker moves to closed position the mass of loose butter which has passed through the worker-fingers accumulates in the corner of the receptacle following the one in which the worker is pivoted and when that corner is in its lowest position. As the churn continues to revolve the mass falls into the following corner, then into the next following corner, and then into the corner between the worker in its open position and the bottom of the receptacle. By these several falls the butter is brought into a comparatively solid single mass, which is again picked up by the worker and operated upon in the next revolution of the churn. The comb-like form of the worker enables it to work the butter most effectively in the closing movement and in the open inverted position to free itself of butter which would otherwise adhere thereto and not be- 5 come a part of the mass and enable it to be relatively large without being objectionable in the churning operation. The working operation is continued to such an extent as may be desired, when the churn will preferablybe stopped and the keys 12 shifted to throw the worker out of operation. If desired,the churn can then be given a few revolutions, and the butter will form into a compact mass by dropping from the uppermost part of the churn to the lower part with each revolution. From time to time during the working operation the tap-openings a a may be open and the buttermilk or wash-water withdrawn. Of course in order to do this the revolutions of the By turning the churn on its side and removing the covers B ready access is had tothe butter to remove it from the churn.

It will be noted that the relative lengths of the crank 10, the connecting-rod 9, and the worker-arm 8 are such that the joint between worker-arm and the connecting-rod can never get to the wrong side of the direct line between the receptacle journal and the workerjournal, so as to cause the worker to operate in the wrong direction or disarrange the parts.

As before stated, in large-sized churns similar worker-operating mechanisms will preferably be provided at each end of the churn. In

re ners be noted that the arrangement of the workeroperating mechanism is such that in its normal retired position the worker will stand with the ends of the fingers substantially opposite the opening A into the churn. By this arrangement ready access is had through the opening to both what may be termed the lront ant back of the worker, whereby any particle of butter can be readily removed and ready access had to all parts for cleaning.

Under some circumstances where it is desirable to eliminate the band-pulley surrounding the body of the churn a band-pulley may be provided attached to or formed integral with the spider 2, and in those constructions where a worker-operating mechanism is provided on one end of the churn only the churn may be driven by a band-pulley or crank applied to an ordinary journal on the opposite. end 01 the churn from that which is provided with the butter-worker-operating mechanism.

it is obvious that numerous modifications and changes in and from the construction herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

l/Vhat 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a rectangular receptacle mounted on journals to be rotated on its axis, a worker pivoted in one corner of the receptacle between two adjacent sides, and means for operating the worker toward and from one of the sides as the receptacle turns on its journals, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a churn of a rectangular receptacle mounted on journals to be rotated, a worker of the form of a comb pivoted at its back in one corner of the receptacle and the worker tines or lingers projecting into the interior, and means for operating the worker as the receptacle revolves, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a churn of a receptacle or churn-body mounted on journals to be rotated. a worker of the form of a comb pivoted at its back adjacent to the walls of the receptacle, and means for operating the worker as the receptacle revolves, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination in a churn of a receptacle mounted on journals to be rotated, a worker substantially of the form of a comb pivoted at its back adjacent to the shell or wall of the receptacle, and means for operating the worker as the receptacle revolves, or for holding the worker as the receptacle revolves, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a churn of a receptacle, a spider secured to the receptacle and carrying the journal, a crank located within the spider, a worker within the receptacle, and a connection between the crank and worker ar ranged to pass between the journal and the receptacle, substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination in a churn of a receptacle, a spider secured to the receptacle and earrying the journal, on which the receptacle adapted to revolve, a crank located within the spider and supported on a shaft extending tl'irougl' the journal, a worker within the receptacle, a connection between the crank and the worker, and means for attaching the crankshaft to the moving parts or to the stationary parts, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination in a churn of a receptaicle mounted to be rotated,,a worker arranged. within the receptacle, a journal on which the receptacle is mounted to rotate, a spidersupporting the receptacle from the journal, a bearing in which the journal is mounted, a crank, a shaft extending through the journal on which'the crank is mounted, a connection between the crank and the worker, and means for attaching the crank to the moving parts or to the stationary parts, substantially as set forth. I

8. The combination in a churn of a journalbearing, a receptacle, a SllppOlEiHg connection between the receptacle and journal arranged to afford a clearance between the journal and the receptacle, a crank arranged to beheld stationary located within said space, a worker within the receptacle and a connection between the worker and said crank, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a churn of a rotatable receptacle, a journal for the receptacle, a bracket connection between the receptacle and the journal and arranged to afford a clearancespace, a crank arranged to be held stationary and within the clearance-space, a worker within the receptacle mounted on journals, one of which extends to the outside of the receptacle, an arm secured on the worker-journal and a connection between the worker-arni and crank, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination in a churn of a receptacle mounted to be rotated on its axis, and of a form substantially square transversely to the axis of rotation, a worker of a comb form arranged substantially parallel to the axis and mounted by its back on rocking journals in one corner, and having lingers extending substantially to the axial line of the receptacle, and means for operating the worker as the receptacle revolves, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination in a churn of a receptacle mounted to be rotated on its axis, a worker consisting of a back and fingers or tines projecting therefrom transversely to the axis of the receptacle mounted on rocking journals to be operated toward and from the wall of the receptacle, and means for operating the worker as the receptacle revolves toward the adjacent side as the worker is carried upwardly and to open inverted position when in the upper position, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination in a churn of a rotatable receptacle, a journal for the receptacle, a supporting connection between the receptacle and journal arranged to afford a clearancespace between the journal and the receptacle, 5 a crank arranged in the said space, a crankshaft extending through the journal and sup porting the crank, a bearing-box supporting the journal and receiving the outer end of the crank-shaft, a sliding ke arranged to couple IO the crank-shaft t0 the journal 01' to the box,

and aworkerwithin the receptacle, connected to and operated by the comb, substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 12th 5 day of July, 1904:.

DANIEL A. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH R. HORIGAN, A. L. MOINTYRE. 

